Process of making tires



J. A. SWINEHART.

PROCESS OF MAKING TIRES.

APPLICATION HLED DEC. 16. I914.

1,366,220. V Patented Jan. 18, 1921.

2 SHEETSSHEET l.

J. A. SWINEHART.

PROCESS OF MAKING TIRES.

APPLICATION FILED DEC-16.1914.

Patented Jan. 13,1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- {UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

JAMES a swmnnnn'r, or AKRON, 01110.

IROCESS OF MAKING TIRES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 18, 1921.

Application filed December 16, 1914. Serial No. 877,508.

I HART, a citizen of the United States, re-

siding at the city of Akron, in the county of Summit and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes of Making Tires, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to tires and a proc ess of making same and has for its object to provide a cord-tire for automobile wheels and the like which is simple in construction and which has a cord or a cord-like basis of the character and construction hereinafter more particularly described about which the tire is built.

A further object of the' present invention is to provide a method for winding a cord or a cord-like member upon a pair of side supports to form the basis for said tire, and to provide a removable card or frame adapted to space said supports apart while said member is being wound about said side sup orts.

Another object of thepresent invention is to provide means for folding said basis formed of said cord or cord-like member upon itself to form said basis into a net-like structure.

Other objects of this invention are set forth in this specification and, furthermore, this invention consists, also, in the combination and arrangement of parts and the process hereinafter more particularly set forth in this specification and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanving drawings forming part of this specification wherein like numbers of reference denote like parts wherever they occur,

Figure 1 is a plan view showing the cord or cord-like member wound upon the sidesupports, the removable card or frame adapted to space said supports apart duringthe winding process having been removed;

Fig. 2 is a plan view showing the said side supports moved relatively to each other to dispose the course of the windings of said cord or cord-like member at an angle to said side-supports;

Fig. 3 is a plan view showing the wound basis, Fig. 2, folded upon itself over a supportingmember to form a net-like structure;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan View on an enlarged scale showing an alternate form of ,construction for folding the wound basis,

Fig. 2, upon itself over a pair of supports to form a net-like structure; I

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary cross sectional view showing a hinged removable card or frame in place spacing apart the side supports of said cord or cord-like member, and showing, also, a manner of removing said card or frame, the wound cord or cord-like member being shown diagrammatically;

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view through the side supports of the cord or. cord-like basis, said basis being shown in a diagrammatic view, before folding same to form the net-like structure, the spacing card having been removed;

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing the relative positions of the side supports and the fold support of Fi 3;

I Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing the relative positions of theside supports and the pair of fold supports of Fig. 4;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of a completed tire showing the netlike basis and its supports illustrated in Fig. 3, in place in said tire; and

Fig. 10 is a crosssectional view showing the net-like basis and its supports illus trated in Fig. 4, in place in a completed tire.

A pair of flexible tubes 1 of any suitable material, such, for instance, as rubber, may each be provided with a straight wire or the like 2 passed through the opening of each of said tubes, respectively, theends 1 of said wires preferably extending beyond the ends of said tubes, as shown, for instance, in Fig. 1, tubes 1 being of suitable lengths adapted to the circumference of the tire to be manufactured.

Card or frame 3, Fig. 5, of any suitable material, such, for instance, as wood or metal, is removably placed between the pair of tubes 1 and is adapted to space said tubes apart sufficiently for the construction of a tire of the desired diameter. Card 3 may bear a groove 4. at each of its lateral edges, said grooves being adapted to receive therein the adj aeent curved portions of the outer surfaces of tubes 1, and for conveniently removing said card from the position shown in the solid lines, Fig. 5, said card may be divided along its length into two portions,

as shown in said Fig. 5, and said portions attached in hinged relation toeach other by any suitable means, such, for instance, as by means of one or more hinges 5. 1:

' Upon said pair of tubes 1, supported spaced apart by card 3 a cord or cord-like member 6 of any suitable material is wound from one tube to the other continuously and progressively substantially from one of the ends of said tubes to the other ends of said tubes, and when said cord or cord-like member 6 has been so wound, card or frame 3 may be removed by swinging the two parts thereof toward each other upon hinging means 5 as shown in' dotted lines, Fig. 5, whereupon said card or. frame may readily be withdrawn from between said tubes 1 and said wound,cord or cord-likemember .6, leaving said wound cord or cord-hke member supported lliipon said tubes substantially as shownin ig. 1.

'Tubes 1 may then bemoved longitudinally to such positions'relative to each other that the general trend of cord or cord-like member 6 between said tubes is disposed on an incline substantially at an angle of forty five (45) degrees -to said tubes as shown in Fig. 2. A flexible tube 7 with a wire 8 there through, said wire preferably protruding ber at substantially beyond the ends of said tube as shown in Fig. 3, which tube 7 and wire 8 may be similar to tubes 1 and'wires 2, may then be placed substantially mid -way between said pair of tubes 1 upon the wound cord or cordlike member 6, and said cord or cord-like member 6 from the position shown in Fig.

2, to the position'shown in Fig. 3, a strip of rubber (not shown, eicept in the, finished state at 9, Figs. 9 and 10) of substantially half the width between the pair of tubes 1, Fig. 2, may be placed upon the windingsof cord or cord-likemember 6, one longitudinal edge of said strip being adjacent either to one or'the other of saidpair of tubes, said strip being adapted to supply suflicient rubber to fillthe spaces between the windings of said cord or cord-like member, and when said wound member is folded over as shown inFig. 3, said rubber strip will be between adjacent folded-over portions of said wound cord or cord-like member.

In order to hold,the wound cord or cordlike members in place upon tubes 1, and, also, in,- order to hold said wound cord or cord-like member in place upon tube 7 when folded to form the net-like structure, Fig. 3, a cement of any suitable composition may be applied to the outer surface of said tubes 1 before said cord or cord-like member 6 is wound thereon, and to the outer surface of tube 7 before said wound cord or cord-like member is folded, as shown in Fig. 3, over said tube 7. a

Card or frame 3 may be made of any desired width sufiicient to space the pair of tubes 1, Fig. 1, apart at such distance from each other, that when the structure depicted in Fig. 2 is folded to form the net-like structure of Fig. 3, the corded space between tubes 1 and tube 7, Fig. 3 will be adapted to the diameter of the tire desired to be constructed upon or about said net-like structure.

welded or mechanically fastened to a corresponding protruding end of wires 2 and 8, respectively, to maintain said wires and said tubes supporting said net-like structure in a closed circular shape. If desired, however, said straight wires 2 and 8 may be removed from tubes 1 and 7, respectively, after the net-like structure, Fig. 3, has been formed, and then wires previously formed in circular shapes adapted in circumference to the circumference of the tire to be manufactured may be threaded through said tubes and the adjacent cut-ends of said wires may be welded or mechanically fastened together, and thus the desired circular supports for the corded structure for the basis of a tire may be obtained.

The net-like structure, Fig. 3, supported by tubes 1 and 7, formed into the desired circular shapes, as above described, may then be placed with one or more layers of fabric rubber, and the like in a full cure-mold of any desired construction and cured in any sultable manner to form a completed tire, such, for instance as the tire shown in fragmentary cross sectional view, Fig. 9, of the accompanying drawings, wherein the netlike structure, Fig. 3, with tubes 1 and 7 and the wires therethrough are shown in place in a finished tire.

A modified form of folding the corded structure, Fig. 3, to form the net-like structure herein described is depicted in Figs. 4 and 8, and said modified form is shown in place in a finished tire in Fig. 10.

In said modified form, instead of folding said corded structure over one flexible tube 7 with wire 8 therethrough, as hereinahove described and as shown in Figs. 3, 7, and 9, two flexible tubes 10 and 11, each tube, respectively, having a wire or the like 12 and 13 therethrough, which tubes 10 and 11 may be similar to tubes 1, and-which wires 12 and 13 may be similar to wires 2, said wires 13 and 14 preferably being adapted to have their ends protruding beyond the ends of their respective tubes 10 and 11. Tube 10 is' structure, Fig. 4, with the cording of one portion traversing the direction of the cording of an opposite adjacent portion at sub-' stantially a right-angle. In this modified form, also, cement of any suitable composition may be applied to tubes 1 and to tubes 11 and 12 to hold said cord or cord-like member 6 in place thereon, and, before folding to form the net-like structure, Fig. 4, a strip of rubber (not shown except in the finished tire at 9. Fig. 10) of substantially half the width between the pair of tubes 1, Fig. 2, may be placed upon the corded structure, one edge of said strip being adjacent either to one or the other of said pair of tubes, said strip being adapted to supply sufficientrubber to fill the spaces between the windings of said corded structure.

The desired circular form for the construction of the tiremay be given to tubesl, 10, and 11 in the modified form' of folded netlike structure in a manner similar to that described in describing the manner of giving circular formto tubes 1 and 7 of Fig. 3, and said net-like structure, Fig. 4, may then be placed with one'or more layers of fabric, rubber, and the like in a full-cure mold of any desired construction and cured in any suitable manner to form a completed tire, such, for instance, as the tire shown in cross sectional view, Fig. 10, of the accompanying drawings, wherein the net-like structure, Fig. 4, with tubes 1, 10, and 11 with the wire through same are shown in place in a finished tire.

It is preferred to cure a tire constructed with the net-like structure of Figs. 3 or 4 of the present invention in a mold with a flexible core designed to be expanded by afluid, such as the mold described in this applicants application for patent for method of making tires and apparatus therefor, filed in the United States Patent Ofiice May 16, 1913, bearing Serial Number 767 960, which application was allowed by the lPatent Office on June 23, 1914, Patent No. 1,122,333. However, any other suitable form of mold or process of curing may be used in constructing a tire embodying the present invention. v I v Various changes in the combination and arrangement of parts may be made without. departing from the nature and spirit of the present invention.

- I claim: 1. The herein-described process of winding a cord-like member for a cord-tire upon a pair of spaced flexible members, the cordlike members being spaced apart and the said flexible members being held apart during the winding process by means of a rigid card removably placed therebetween, said flexible members being shifted longitudinally with reference to each other in such manner as to place said card members at an angle to said flexible members.

2. The herein-described process of winding a cord-like member for a cord-tire upon a pair of spaced flexible members, the said cord-like members being spaced apart, said flexible members being held apart during the winding process by means of a card removably p aced'therebetween, said'flexible members being shifted longitudinally with reference to each other in such manner as to place said cord members at an angle to said flexible members, said card being of a width sufficient to permit said wound cord-like member to be doubled upon itself in such manner as to form a net of a width adapted to the diameter of a tire.

3. The herein-described process of .winding a cord-like member for a cord-tire upon a pair of spaced flexible members, said cordlike members being spaced apart, said flexible members being held apart during the I winding process by means of a card removably placed therebetween, said flexible members being shifted longitudinally with reference to each other in such manner as to place said cord members at an angle to said flexible members, said wound cord-like member being doubled'upon itself by means of a third flexible member being placed between the two first-named flexible members, thereby forming a net of a plurality of thicknesses of the said cord-like members.

4. The herein-described process of winding a cord-like member for a cord-tire upon a pair of spaced flexible members, said flexible members being held apart during the winding process by means of a card removably placed therebetween, said flexible members being shifted longitudinally with reference to each other in such manner as to place sald cord members at an angle to said flexible members, said card being of a width sufiicient to permit said wound cord-like member to.be,doubled upon itself to form a net of a width adapted to-the diameter of a tire.

5. The herein-described process of winding a strength-giving fabric by winding a mediate said bers, said fol ed wound cord-like member .forming a netting, said hollow flexiblemem v bers being then shaped in circular form by meansof .threa through the hollow ortion of said hollow adapted to the circumference of the tire ding ring-sha d wires members and embed in said netting with said hollow members wit in the structureof the tire before curing said tire.

6. The herein-described process of wind- I ing a cord-hke member for a cord-tire upon a pair of spaced hollow flexible members, said flexible members being held apart dur-.

, ing the winding process by means ofa card removably placed therebetween, removing said card from between said hollow members folding said wound cord-like member upon itself over hollow flexible means with a rubber'strip between the folded-over portion of said cord-like member, said folded wound cord-like member forming a nettin of a width adapted to the diameter of the t1re and then shapin said hollow flexible members i and said he low flexible means in circular form adapted to the circumference of the tire by means of threading ring-shaped wires. through the hollow portions of said hollow members and said hollow means, placing said netting, rubber-strip, hollow members, hollow means, and said wires between a plurality of layers of rubber, fabric,

and the like,.in a mold to form a tire and curin the tire by expanding same with a flexib e core adapted to expand either by fluid or any mechanical means.

7 The herein-described process of making a tire or tire-shoe which consists in formcord-like member-spirally about a pair of I spaced suitably-supported hollow tube-like members, folding said fabric'about an anchor near the median line thereof, placing reinforcing members in said tube-like members, bringing the ends of said reinforcing members together and connecting them thereby to fashion the fabric into annular formation, incorporating said folded fabric in the body of a tire or tire-shoe with the tube-like members disposed in one of the beads and the reinforcing member positionedin the other bead, and curing the tire or shoe in a confining medium and simultaneously expanding the wall of said tire- .shoe by an interiorly-positioned expansible flexible core during the'curing operation.

8. The herein-described process of making a tire or tire-shoe which consists informing a cord-like fabric by spiral convolutions of a flexible member about a air of spaced tube-hke members, folding sa1d fabric about an anchor positioned near the median line thereof, threadin reinforcing members through said tubeike members, connecting the ends of said reinforcing members thereby to fashion the fabric into annular formation, positioning said folded fabric in the body of a tire or shoe with the tube-like members and reinforcing members positioned in the beads, and curing the tire or shoe in a-mold by the employment of an expansible flexible core sitioned within the tire or shoe and expan ed therein during the curing operation.

9. method of manufacturing pneumatic tires including the following steps, namel forming an annular substantially flat b0 y material of cord strands, by windin cordlike members about a pair of space tubelike members, subsequently folding said body about a third tube-like member to form a body portion of less width than the firstmentioned body, placin an air-bag within sa1d body portion, ap yin fluid pressure to the interior of sai air hag, and finally curing the tire while thus under internal pressure.

10. The herein-described process of making a tire or tire-shoe which consists in forming a strength-giving fabric by winding a cord-like member spirally about a pair of spaced suitably-supported hollow tubelike members, folding said fabric about an anchor near the median line thereof, plac- 1ng reinforcing members in said tube-like members, bringing the ends of said reinforcmg members together and connecting them thereby to fashion the fabric into annular formation, incorporating said folded fabric in the body of a tire or tire-shoe with the tube-like members disposed in one of the beads and the reinforcing member positioned in the other head, inclosing the outer portion of the tire or tire-shoe by a nonyielding wall of suitable material, and simultaneously expanding the wall of said tire or tire-shoe against said wall by an interiorly-positioned expansible instrumentality during the vulcamzing operation.

11. The herein-described process of making a tire or tire-shoe which consists in forming a cord-like member by winding a flexible member about a pair of spaced hollow flexible members, said members being held apart during the winding process, folding said woundup cord-like member upon itself over an anchor positioned along the median line between said hollow members, superposing a strip between the folded-over portions of said cord-like member, said folded wound cord member forming a netting of a width adapted to fit a tire or shoe, and then shaping said hollow suitable for a tire or tire shoe, threading reinforcing wires through said hollow memhere, joining their ends, positioning said structure so formed in the body of a tire or shoe, and curing the same in a mold bythe employment of an expansible flexible core adapted to expand within said tire or shoe either by fluid or any mechanical means.

12. The herein-described process of making a tire or tire-shoe which consists in forming a cord-like member by winding a flexible member about a pair of spaced hollow flexible members, said members bein held apart during the winding process, fol ing said woundup cord-like member upon itself over an anchor positioned along the median line between said hollow members, superposing a strip between the folded-over portions of said cord-like member, said folded wound cord member forming a net-' ting of a width adapted to fit a tire or shoe, and then shapin said hollow members and anchor into circu ar form suitable for a tire. or tire shoe, threading reinforc ng wires through said hollow members, positioning said structure so formed in the body of a tire or shoe, and-curing the same in a mold by the employment of an expansible flexible core adapted to expand within said tire or shoe either by fluid or any mechanical means.

13. The herein described process ofwinding a cord-like member for a cord-tire upon a pair of spaced flexible members, the windings of said cord-like member being spaced apart, said flexible members being held apart during the winding process by means of a card removably placed therebetween, said wound cord-like member to be doubled upon itself by means of placing a third flexible member at approximately midway between the first two named flexible members and folding said cord-like member over the said third flexible member in such manner as to cause the strands of the said cord-like member to'intersect the meshes formed by said cord member thereby forming a net composed of a plurality of thicknesses'of the said cord-like member.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES SWINEHART.

Witnesses:

ALTER G.- GREEL, -NANOY C. Tnomxs. 

